Vermont Gets $656,000 in Forest Grants

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s congressional delegation announced Tuesday that Williston and Richmond have received a combined $656,000 in US Forest Service grants to create town forests. In a joint statement, Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) said, “We are pleased these federal funds will allow the towns of Williston and Richmond to conserve key tracts of forest, increase public access and improve recreational opportunities for local residents.”

The federal investment announced by the Forest Service is the result of a national competition that selected only seven projects nationally, including these two outstanding Vermont projects: $400,000 was awarded for the Catamount Community Forest in Williston; and $256,000 was awarded for the Richmond Town Forest in Richmond.

The federal funding is part of the US Forest Service’s Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program. This program, created by legislation authored by Leahy in the 2008 Farm Bill, has its roots in Vermont’s long tradition of creating town forests that provide community and economic benefits through sustainable forest management, environmental benefits, forest experiential learning, replicable models of effective forest stewardship, and recreational opportunities. read more >>